When I did my National Service Ronnie was one of the officers in our section. I always wondered that he had a National Service Commission being so short and I put it down to his forceful personality.
As he was an officer our dealings were strictly business. I worked in what was known as the aptitude testing section at RAF Hornchurch which gave tests to candidates for aircrew selection. Ronnie was one of two pilot officers in the section. His colleague was also to become a well known actor, Edward Hardwicke.
They had a small office next to the large room where we marked and collated the test results. Quite what they did was not clear. Out of the section Ronnie had to take his turn as orderly officer and that meant being involved in the regular parades. I was a member of the voluntary band and we had to play the RAF general salute while the flag was raised with the officer standing to attention with his ceremonial sword raised in salute. If that happened to be Ronnie he did look rather incongruous being so short with his long greatcoat almost touching the ground. Other officers would have had more social interchange with Ronnie in the officers mess. Out of office hours I think the amateur dramatic group (which won awards in competitions) would have been his main passion.
I played Timothy’s sister Muriel in Sorry! which ran for 8/9 years. He was always generous, professional and so supportive and I had years of great times working on Sorry! So much laughter together with Barbara (Lott who played Mrs Lumsden) and Bill (William Moore who played Mr Lumsden). He was a lovely man to work with, dedicated to the utmost professional outcome of all we did. It was a privilege and a joy to work with him. RIP with love.
In 1963 Ronnie Corbett was officially opening the Bungay Regatta during a summer season he was doing at Great Yarmouth. It was the second year in a row for him as the original celebrity dropped out. Ronnie being the sort of person he was immediately stepped into the breech. I was fortunate to be introduced to him (I was 13) and he shook my hand. I just remember him being a very pleasant person.
But then my mother, being the sort of person she was, embarrassed the whole family. Once he had declared the regatta open my mother started singing “For he’s a jolly good fellow”. Then she tried to raise three cheers. Unfortunately no one else joined in. Ronnie Corbett look completely bemused. I was totally mortified by my mother’s behaviour.
I met Ronnie Corbett when I was about 15. He was playing the 18th hole on the Old Course at St Andrews, and a few of my friends and I had coincidentally decided to spend our lunch hour from school watching the golf.
I remember being a bit nervous asking him for an autograph. Michael Grade, who was with him and was still controller of BBC1 at the time, was recognisable as it was around this time that he axed Doctor Who. Given Ronnie’s links with the BBC I wondered if it was a business golf thing rather than playing with a group of friends. Nevertheless, I remember Ronnie being only too happy to stop and sign our homework diaries and have a short chat about school and St Andrews before heading to the clubhouse.
